Mining machine



Oct 4,1927, 1,644,227 A. B. BENILDICT MINING MACHINE Filed May 12. 1924 I 2 Sheets-Sheet l A. B. BENEDICT MINING MACHINE Filed May 12. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ell/672101;

Patented Oct. 4, 1927.

UNITED, STATES] 1,644,227 PATENT OFFICE."

ALLAN B. BENEDICT, or cnIoAGdfILLINoIs, .ASVSIGNOR To GOODMAN MANUFACTUR- me COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AcoRronA'r oN or" ILLINOIS.

I Ia n-me MACHINE.

App1ication filed May12,

This invention relates to improvements in mining machines, and more particularly to those types of mining machines designed t0 undercut the vein of-coal priorto the blasting operation. p

The object of the present invention is to provide a mining machine with means for removing the coal dust and fineparticles of material :which are liberated as a result of the cutting action. Thepre'sence of coal dust has'longbeen a source of considerable annoyance, if not hardship, for the opera.' tors of mining machines, making it ditficult for them to breathe and otherwise inducing physical discomfort. I H

A further object of "the invention is to equip a mining machine with a dust exhaust apparatus operatively connected with the driving mechanism of the machine, whereby the dust is drawn into a suitable nozzle located at. the point adjacent the cutting element and conducted to a point remote form the scene of operation;

In the drawings a miningrmachine of'the socalled "shortwall type has been illustrated, so much of the mechanism as cooperates with the parts embodying the invention being shown in detail.

In the drawings: I I

Figure-1 is atop plan view of themin} ing machine showing the general arrangement of the principal parts thereof;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the machine; v I

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view in vertical section of the blower. blower casting and armature-of the driving motor, and

Figure A is an enlarged view in front elevation of the machine with the cutter bar in cross section. l

A shortwall'mining machine is one designed to travel bodily across the face of the mine wall, andtomaintain a position at right angles thereto, said machine having a cutter bar extending from the forward end of the machine and adapted to be fed endwise into the wall by the longitudinal bodily movement of the machine and thence transversely to cut a kerf substantially at the level of the mine floor. The machine rests upon a bed plate or pan and is dragged or moved laterally by suitable arrangement of cables fixed at their ends fore and aft of the path of the machine, and leading to drums mounted on the machine. The out- 1924. Serial 170,712,515.

portion of the cuttings, however, is in the form of coal dust which is liberated atthe point where the cutter chain emerges from Y the kerf being out. i v Referring now more in detail to the structure ofthe machine, the main portion of body A of the machine, comprises a bed '1 on'which the machine rests and is transported over the-mine floor and supports the framein the-form of a substantial rectangular casing '01 housing in which the operating mechanism, including the driving motor and gearingis enclosed. Projecting from the forward end of the machine body A is the cutter bar consisting generallyof a frame 3 carrying an endless cutter chain 4'throughthe medium'of suitable longitudinal guide channels. At the inner end of the bar is mounted a *driving sprocket (not shown). meshing with the cutter chain, and having driving connection with-the motor through intermediate gearing and clutch mechanism. All of this is standardiin min.- ing machines and therefore need not be described -in detail.

..Associated with the cutter bar B is an endwise extensible sumping bar Cmovable longitudinally ofthe cutting bar and. having telescopic sliding connection with the bed-,1. In general, the 'sumping bar consists oftwo parallel side'memberso, 5, con

' nected at their forward. end by a cross bar 5 and, supported upon a shoe 6 which rests 'upon the mine floor beneath the cutter bar B. The sumping'bar C is used in making what is known as the sumping. cut, whereby the cutter bar is fed endwise intothe face of themine wall to the desired. cutting depth,

and preparatory to the transverse movement of the machine. Inasmuch as the cutter bar is fixed with. relation to the machine frame or bodyA, the sumping bar is extend- .100 1 edits full length and anchored and then,

by the applicationof power through cables engaging-sheaves 7, 7, attached at they forward ends of the sumping-bar, the entire machine is advanced bodily as the cutter bar cuts its way into the mine wall. The equipment of the machine also includes cable drums in operating connection with the motor together with suitable cable guide sheaves, clutch mechanism, and various controls which need not be referred to in detail since it forms no part of the present invention.

As clearly shown in Figure 4, the cutter chain 4 carries a. multitude of cutting bits 4* which travel at a high rate of speed in contact with the advancing side of the kerf being cut and carry into the room the cuttings which have been removed. The entire chain travels in a counter-clockwise direction with the result that the advancing side of the chain moves outwardly carrying with it the cuttings as before described. the forward face of the machine body A is positioned in close proximity to the face of the mine wall, the dust and fine particles of the cuttings would be released near the base of the machine and adjacent a point where the advancing side of the cutter chain leaves the kerf in the mine wall and enters the base of'the machine. It follows, therefore, that it is at this point that the inlet-to the exhausting apparatus would preferably be located;

Referring now to the exhausting apparatus, the same comprises in general a blower D, mounted at the forward end of the machine body A and directly attached tothe housing 2 just forward of the motor. The blower comprises a blower casing 8 of the usual two port construction arranged in axial alignment with the motor, and a rotor or fan 9 mounted upon the armature shaft 10 of the motor and indicated in Figure 3, by the armature or rotor 11, said armature shaft having an extension 12 of reduced diameter extending through the blower casing and journalled at its end in a bearing 13. Communicating with the rotor compartment of the blower casing is an inletchamber 14, from which extends an inlet pipe 15 leading downwardly and laterally to a point adjacent the path of the cutter chain and terminating at its lower end in a vertically arranged hood or enlarged nozzle 16, having a lateral opening or mouth facing toward the cutter chain and spaced a short distance from it. Communicating with the blower casing is a discharge pipe 17 extending laterally and tangentially toward the following side of the machine and thence downwardly and is connected near the ground level with Inasmuch as element of the blower that a suction is created which draws into the nozzle 16 the dust operations, as well as to improve the operating conditions.

It follows from the foregoing, that the useof an exhausting apparatus may be extendedto include the removal of cuttings of appreciable size if not the whole of them, by suction,'in which case the discharge pipe would lead to a point at which the cuttings would be recovered.

" I claim as my invention V 1. In a mining machine, the combination of a frame, a cutting element projecting horizontally from said frame and movable with the latter for cutting a kerf and removing cuttings therefrom, driving mechanism for said cutting element including an electric motor having an armature shaft, arotary blower arranged coaxially with said motor and having a fan rotating with said armature shaft, and a pipe connected with said blower provided with an intake adjacent the path of said cutting element.

2. In a mining machine, the combination of a frame, a cutter bar extending from said frame provided with a cutter chain, a horizontally disposed motor on said frame having an'armature shaft, a blower mounted at one end of said motor and provided with a fan carried on one end of said armature shaft, and a pipe connected with said blower having a nozzle at the intake end thereof, said nozzle being mounted on said frame ad-v j acent the pathof the advanced side of said cutter chain where it enters the frame.

3. In a mining machineythe combination carried on the front end of said armature" shaft, and an intake pipe extending downwardly from said blower and provided with an opening directed toward the advance side of said cutter chain, and an exhaust pipe leading from said blower to a point remote from saidmachine. i

i Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 3rd, day. of May, A. D. 1924.

ALLAN B. BENEDICT. 

